Formula 1 and MotoGP will come together at the Circuit of The Americas during the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend, with several premier-class motorcycles scheduled to appear on track on Saturday, October 24, the same day Formula 1 drivers fight for pole position. The Austin programme will create an unusual crossover between two-wheel and four-wheel motorsport as Liberty Media continues to explore ways of bringing the two championships closer together.
The initiative follows Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP’s commercial rights and its subsequent interest in finding opportunities for Formula 1 and motorcycle racing to share a wider stage. The possibility of holding both championships at the same circuit on the same weekend had previously been considered, but their very different operational and safety requirements made such a concept difficult to pursue.
F1 and MotoGP Austin crossover takes shape at COTA
Austin provides a natural setting for this latest step because the Circuit of The Americas already welcomes both Formula 1 and MotoGP. The Texas venue is known for its dramatic elevation changes and demanding sequence of fast corners, while the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend at COTA is expected to attract major international attention.
Saturday, October 24 will be the central day for the crossover. Formula 1 qualifying will decide the starting order for the United States Grand Prix, while several premier-class motorcycles are also scheduled to take to the Austin circuit during the day.
The line-up brings together several prominent names from motorcycle racing. Newly crowned SBK champion Niccolò Bulega will ride the Ducati, while Daniel Pedrosa is set to take to the circuit on the KTM. Andrea Dovizioso will ride the Yamaha, with Lorenzo Salvadori completing the group on the Trackhouse Aprilia.
Liberty Media moves ahead with closer F1 and MotoGP links
Bringing the two forms of motorsport together has been an idea under consideration for some time. Liberty Media had explored the possibility of Formula 1 and MotoGP racing at the same venue during the same weekend, but the distinct safety demands of cars and motorcycles represented one of the clearest obstacles to such an arrangement.
The Austin programme offers a different way to connect the two categories without presenting the weekend as a combined Formula 1 and MotoGP race meeting. Earlier plans for an F1 and MotoGP crossover at COTA had already highlighted the Texas venue as a potential stage for bringing machinery from both championships into the same event.
That makes the October 24 appearance particularly significant for Liberty Media. Rather than simply promoting Formula 1 and MotoGP separately, the Austin weekend will place leading motorcycle names in front of the audience gathered for one of Formula 1’s major events in the United States.
Why the Austin appearance stands out during the United States GP
For Formula 1 spectators, the additional motorcycle activity will make qualifying day at COTA notably different from a conventional Grand Prix Saturday. The main competitive focus remains the Formula 1 battle for pole position, but the presence of Ducati, KTM, Yamaha and Aprilia machinery will add another motorsport attraction to the programme.
The event also provides the clearest example so far of Liberty Media putting its plans for closer cooperation between the two championships into practice. COTA’s established relationship with both categories gives the company an opportunity to bring the two audiences together at a circuit familiar to fans of both disciplines.
The Austin appearance will take place during the closing phase of the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, with the United States Grand Prix forming the centrepiece of the weekend. On Saturday, however, Formula 1 cars will not be the only high-profile machinery drawing attention at the Circuit of The Americas.
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